James Erkenbeck is a planner, a thinker. He’s only 23 years old, but it seems that he’s done little in his sporting life without a clear purpose.

This includes holding himself back to repeat eighth grade at Carmel Valley Middle School so that he might become more formidable in basketball at Torrey Pines High, and giving himself a redshirt year at the University of New Mexico in golf despite being the best player on the team.

As you might imagine, the Lobos coach wasn’t thrilled with that one. Glen Millican even flew to San Diego to try to convince Erkenbeck to change his mind. But the kid could see his path to professional golf, and he would not be swayed.

“I create a ladder and steps for myself to get better and achieve my goals,” Erkenbeck said. “It’s how my mind works. I was always thinking ahead to prepare myself for the future.”

That ladder is propped up against another critical plateau. This week at The Country Club in Brookline, Mass., where Francis Ouimet won the U.S. Open as an amateur 100 years ago, and Charles River Country Club, Erkenbeck is competing in his first U.S. Amateur Championship.

He opened the 36-hole stroke-play portion of the tournament on Monday with a 5-over 75 at Charles River that put him tied for 151st place. It could be his last event in which he’s not playing for money.

Barring a selection to the U.S. Walker Cup team – still a possibility -- Erkenbeck plans to turn pro by the end of the summer.

“I’m excited. I’m definitely ready. I think I’ve been ready for a while,” he said.

The plan has gone beautifully. After a standout career at Torrey Pines, Erkenbeck chose New Mexico not for the glamour of Albuquerque, but for the full-ride scholarship that got him a degree in Communications and the spectacular Lobos practice facility and course that were four minutes from where he lived.

By this past season, Erkenbeck was one of the best college players in the country. The All-American led the Lobos to the Mountain West tournament title and an Elite Eight berth in the NCAA Championships. Erkenbeck helped the U.S. beat Europe in the Palmer Cup in June, and last month he reached the semifinals of the U.S. Public Links.

He currently is 20th in the World Amateur Golf Rankings and the ninth-ranked American.

“This has been a great year. I can’t compare it to anything else,” Erkenbeck said.

Erkenbeck comes from a family of avid sportsmen. His late grandfather was Jim Erkenbeck, a San Diego High and San Diego State football player who later coached with Don Coryell and served five NFL teams. James’ father, Jim, coached him in soccer from a young age and watched his son develop a thirst for high-stakes athletics.

“Some kids have it and some don’t,” said Jim Erkenbeck, a Carmel Valley real estate agent. “In baseball, James wanted to be the pitcher who closed the game. In basketball, he wanted the last shot. In soccer, he wanted to take the penalty kick. He thrives on those situations, and if he fails, he doesn’t let it bother him. He wants to play Tiger (Woods). He wants to play the best.”

Jim said that James seemed to revel early in the honor of golf while playing with his dad and grandfather. He refused to take mulligans and loved the work ethic the sport required. Though James was on the varsity soccer team all through high school (he never did play basketball), a team game didn’t stand a chance against golf and its self-reliant, democratic route to success.

“I’ve enjoyed trying to get better,” said James, who has worked with his coach, Chris Mayson, at Maderas Golf Club for several years. “My swing was pretty good when I got to (New Mexico). I could do some things with the golf ball. But when I look at how I swing now compared to how I used to, it’s pretty amazing.”

The 6-feet-1 Erkenbeck said he’s developed a nice fade that takes the left side of the course out of play. He’s a long hitter who has learned to dial himself back when he must to avoid big numbers. He professes to work on his weaknesses to make them strengths.

“Golf is such a tricky game,” he said. “If I don’t feel prepared I’m not going to be happy.”

No worries there. The young man has plan.

Hardy leads with 65

Seventeen-year-old Nick Hardy, of Northbrook, Ill., shot 5-under 65 at Charles River Country Club to take the first-round stroke-play lead in the U.S. Amateur. Richy Werenski, of South Hadley, Mass., was second with a 66 heading into Tuesday's second round, after which the 312-player field will be cut to 64 for match play.

San Diego State junior Xander Schauffele (Scripps Ranch High) shot 69 at Charles River and was tied for 12th. At The Country Club, serving as the main host course, the best score was a 3-under 67 by Neil Raymond of England.